Shore Patrol: Tackling disposal of fishing line

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske has picked up considerable support for her renewed effort this week to get fishers to properly dispose of fishing line and hazardous marine debris in all freshwater and saltwater areas in the city.

Schipske's move is an expansion of her "Reel Recycling" program - an environmental initiative to promote the proper disposal of fishing line.

The effort has the support of El Dorado Audubon Society, along with the cooperation of local businesses that sell fishing line and tackle.

Cardboard recycling boxes - provided by Berkley, a manufacturer of fishing line - will be placed at local businesses that sell fishing line and tackle, including K-Mart, Walmart, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Big Fish Bait and Tackle, Sport Chalet, Turner's Outdoorsman, and Del Amo Fishing Tackle, according to Schipske.

"Current plans call for the addition of lids for trash cans and educational signage," said Mary Parsell, president of El Dorado Audubon Society.

Schipske's announcement - made Wednesday at El Dorado East Regional Park - coincides with Worldwide Fishing Line Recycling Day and Earth Week 2012.

After encountering concerns two years ago, Schipske's Task Force on Lakes, Ponds and Wetlands launched a fishing line and tackle recycle program with Berkley.

Entanglement in fishing lines injures birds and animals and can lead to drowning or death by infection.

Strike one for Seal Beach plans

A citizens' advisory committee has rejected the development plans for the former site of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in Seal Beach.

The 4-1 vote late Tuesday night by the citizens committee - formally known as the Department of Water and Power Specific Plan Advisory Committee - throws a shadow over the proposal by Bay City Partners, which wants to build 48 homes on the 10.7-acre former DWP site at the southwest corner of Marina Drive and First Street.

The city's Planning Commission reviews the plan May 2.

Critics contend that a suggested amendment to the development plan would reduce open recreational space by about 10 percent.

"We want something very, very special there," said Nancy Kredell, a committee member of the 1st District, who acknowledged that the Planning Commission could reject the advisory tally.

"We hope they will listen," she added.

Various plans for the site have died quietly over the past 35 years. In 1999, for instance, plans for a 150-room hotel prompted petition drives.

In November 2003, a scaled-down plan calling for 39 upscale homes and open space sparked considerable uproar.

Critics are concerned the recreation space would not be available for public use.

Row, row, row the boats

Long Beach Junior Crew this weekend will be hosting the 22nd Long Beach Junior Invitational, the largest junior rowing regatta in Southern California.

Twenty-four teams will compete in the Saturday and Sunday events, beginning at 7:30 a.m., at the Marine Stadium. Teams will be from Long Beach Unified School District and Los Alamitos Unified School District, along with other districts in Los Angeles and Orange counties, Northern California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Washington and Baja California.